Witherspoon NAVY (2014)

The Witherspoon NAVY Watch designed by Michael Graves

The Witherspoon NAVY Watch named for and in honor of The Paul Robeson Center for the Arts in Princeton, New Jersey. It’s project’s Honorary Chairman and designer Michael Graves describes it as a “landmark project for Princeton which will make an enormous contribution to the cultural life of our community.” Witherspoon is also the namesake of his latest timepiece for PROJECTS. Like his building,

The Witherspoon NAVY Watch follows the previous Red, Orange, Blue, Mint, Green, Black and White versions but now in a bold NAVY color with salmon color leather band. The watch evokes the rich tones of the building’s historic earth tones and bricks as well as its bold vistas of the town’s center. The Witherspoon NAVY Watch is filled with subtle detail; from the matching salmon color on the crown (that which turns and sets the time), to the matching salmon color of the second hand. There is no misreading the time here. The Witherspoon NAVY Watch has large numbers with raised indexes in a subtle silver color.

We love the Witherspoon Watch so much, that we have added three more colors and finishes. This Navy/Salmon, Brass Color and Stainless Steel color. Designed as a unisex, Witherspoon is also available in a smaller ladies size in white, aqua, red, purple and the new eggplant. As if this was not enough, we now have introduced Witherspoon in both a 12″ Wall Clock as well as an elegant stainless steel and red pocket watch.

Witherspoon NAVY measures 40mm in diameter (1.6″), is 8.85mm (0.35″) high, made of brushed stainless steel, and complemented by a 20mm salmon color leather band (3/4″).

About Michael Graves

Michael Graves received his architectural training at the University of Cincinnati and at Harvard University. Among his many completed projects are the Portland Building, the Humana Building, the Clos Pegase Winery in the Napa Valley, and the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotels. Graves is the winner of fifteen Progressive Architecture Design Awards, nine American Institute of Architects National Honor Awards, and thirty-eight New Jersey Society of Architects, AIA Awards.

Michael Graves was recently awarded the national medal of the arts. Here is a transcript of what President Clinton said at the ceremony:

Michael Graves is a rare individual who finds equal wonder in things both large and small. As one of our century's most important designers and architects, he has said he gets as much pleasure planning a large building as he does designing a spatula. (Laughter.)

- THE PRESIDENT

So it's little wonder that Michael Graves' work can be found from our shopping malls to our National Mall. From an award-winning office building to a tea kettle; to the creative scaffolding around the Washington Monument -- which, I might say, has enriched the lives of every person in Washington, D.C. -- (applause) - - and made those often stuck in what is now America's most crowded traffic patterned city have their time pass a little better, Michael Graves has created art that surrounds our lives.

He calls himself a great practitioner, but in some ways his challenge is more daunting than that of a physician. As Frank Lloyd Wright once said, "After all, the doctor can bury his mistake," -- (laughter) -- "but the architect can only advise his client to plant vines." (Laughter.) The only thing that grows and covers Michael Graves' work is our admiration, appreciation and respect."